We’ve seen it testing a number of times already and it’s back in one of its hottest versions, the M340i. Think of it as the next best thing to the M3 and a direct competitor against the Audi S4 and the Mercedes-AMG C43. Seen in the attached video is a prototype lapping the Nurburgring and, judging by its pace, it’s not there to chase lap records, but for some endurance tests.

More about the new 3 Series:

Under the hood of the M340i will be one of our favorite BMW engines, the 3.0-liter straight-six B58 engine with 340 horsepower (254 kilowatts) and 369 pound-feet (500 Newton-meters) of torque. Naturally, it will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF, sending power to the rear wheels, although some sources claim an xDrive AWD system could be available as an option.

What we do know for sure is that the next-gen 3 Series will move to the Bavarian automaker’s new CLAR architecture that also underpins the current 5 Series and 7 Series. The new platform is believed to shave off approximately 88 pounds (40 kilograms) of the current car’s weight by making more extensive use of aluminum and a little bit of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).

Diesel fans will be able to opt for a new range-topping model, the M340d, which could receive BMW’s quad-turbo 3.0-liter diesel. In the 7 Series luxury sedan, this motor generates 394 hp (294 kW) and a massive torque of 560 lb-ft (760 Nm), but we expect to see smaller numbers in the compact sports sedan from Bavaria.